DDLab Linux readme: March 2017 update
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There are two compiled (.tar.gz) Linux executables, 32bit and 64bit
ddlabz05_linux32.tar.gz 32bit compiled in Ubuntu 6.04
ddlabz05_linux64.tar.gz 64bit compiled in Ubuntu 11.10
the .tar.gz will unpack to give
ddlabz05_linux32 or ddlabz05_linux64, and GNU_GPL_3.txt.
32bit DDLab runs on a 64bit system, but not vice versa.
To check if your system is 32bit or 64bit, in a terminal, enter:
uname -m, the display will show the following ...
for 32bit: "i686" or "i386"
for 64bit: "x86_64"
To run DDLab:
from the directory with the DDLab files,
enter the name of the executable preceded by ./ and followed by &
for example
./ddlabz05_linux64 &
Alternatively, first change directory to "ddfiles"
then enter the name of the executable preceded by ../ and followed by &
This will keep files generated by DDLab in the ddfiles subdirectory.
You can recompile DDLab for Linux yourself from the source code using
Makefile_Linux_z05, available at
http://www.ddlab.org/download/ddlab_code_2017/ and mirror sites.
DDLab would appreciate news of alternative compiles.
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possible font issues in Linux Ubuntu (version 9.04 and later ?):
(note: new revision -- if the font files specified below can't be found,
ddlab will load alternative, unpredictable but acceptable fonts
-- warnings will appear in the terminal)
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Recent versions of Ubuntu may no longer have
xorg.conf (see below for the xorg.conf setup).
The fonts required by DDLab may or may not be available on your system.
In case not, the fonts are in directories: 100dpi, 75dpi, misc,
which are in the file fonts_dd_linux.tar.gz,
which can be downloaded from www.ddlab.org/download
These directories should then be placed in /usr/share/fonts/X11/
to restore DDLab contents when uncovered by another window
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(not an issue in ubuntu 16.04 LTS pre-installed in Dell XPS13)
In Kubuntu 11.04 (KDE), "Desktop effects" must be active.
In Ubuntu 11.10 (Gnome) you might need to do the following:
as root, create a file /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/05-backingstore.conf
and putting this into it:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Default device"
Option "Backingstore"
EndSection
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font issues for older linux versions:
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You might need to modify (as root) the X11 config file,
which has a different name for different versions of Linux:
SuSe (and RedHat?): /etc/X11/XF86Config
Ubuntu (Kubuntu): /etc/X11/xorg.conf
1. FontPath:
in section "Files"
you will see various FontPath(s) listed.
if any of the FontPath(s) below are missing, they
must be added, otherwise DDLab could crash.
Again, the path differs for different versions of Linux.
for SuSe (and RedHat?), add the following (if missing)
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
for Ubuntu (Kubuntu), add the following (if missing)
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi"
also, for ddlab to work on the GNOME desktop, add (if missing)
FontPath "unix/:7100"
2. BackingStore - to keep the contents of DDLab when changing/hiding
windows, the following should be in the config file,
in Section "Device" (not Section "InputDevice")
you will see various things listed,
add: Option "BackingStore"
i.e.
Section "Device"
Identifier "Neomagic Corporation|NM2360 [MagicMedia "
Driver "neomagic"
BoardName "Unknown"
Option "BackingStore"
EndSection
However, if you switch workspaces (desktops) in KDE or GNOME
the previous images in the DDLab window will be lost.
In FVWM this problem does not occur.
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